Patriots and Spies

The premise of Mistress is based on the idea that there are both patriots and spies. Patriots are the people, like Benjamin and Andrei, who try to protect the integrity of the United States. It is the spies, like Diana and Marty, who pose a threat to the country and those around them. These people are often difficult to identify. Even Ben did not realize that his father was a spy. It is not until the end of the novel that Ben learns what his father did for a living and that it was because his father was a spy that his mother was killed. At the same time, Ben also does not realize that his former professor at the University, Andrei, was working for the CIA keeping an eye on Marty.